The Reading Is Only Difficult, If You Don't Manage It

Every Army school has a formal and informal legacy. SAMS is no different. Prior to arriving this past month, many folks offered their feedback on the workload---specifically, the reading requirements. Part of the informal SAMS legacy, for me, was the impression that the reading was completely overwhelming.


During the Intermediate Level Education (ILE) course at the Command and General Staff College across the pond on Fort Leavenworth, a common thread of “the reading is only hard, if you do it” managed to echo from class to class, generation to generation---to include my time in 2009 while attending. I honestly put forth about a 70% effort towards the reading after the first three months concluded.


Upon receipt of the syllabus for the first 18-lesson block of instruction within the AMSP here at SAMS, I was truly surprised to see the reading requirement and the workload distribution. Each lesson does have anywhere from 125 up to 210 pages of reading. However, with the flow of the course—classroom time from 0830-1200 for three out of five days each week, on average—makes meeting that requirement very attainable. 


However, here is a strange dilemma I face. By no means am I an outstanding speed-reader, but I see a gap in a reading assignment only covering, say, 1/3rd of a book and that’s it. Do I owe it to myself to cover the entire scope of the product and embrace what is between the front and back covers? Alternatively, take the directive that the Ph.D-holding course author put in writing, do the specific reading, and move forward with the day?


Quick note, some folks drew all of their books for the entire first block of instruction---upwards of 25 total books. I have made the decision to draw those required for the first six lessons now and will pull another portion out as the time comes. Main reason: 25 books is a lot and my 10k forklifts, flat racks, and PLS trailers remain at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.


It has become quite clear that time management is significant here. With the ability to personally own a large portion of outside-the-class time, the pressure to actually do the work—the reading, the writing, the reflecting, the researching, and the next-class-preparation—is just awesome. I believe I have a solid plan to meet all of the requirements and subsequently defy any horrible SAMS workload legacy.